


Scythian | Reunited

by mycupoffanfiction



Series: Scythian [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Memory Loss, Multi, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:15:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23312224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycupoffanfiction/pseuds/mycupoffanfiction
Summary: The Reader reunites with her boys after decades of being apart, but she faces the reality that being frozen for seventy odd years comes with it’s own recovery.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Series: Scythian [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671238
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	Scythian | Reunited

**Author's Note:**

> I highly suggest reading the prologue for universe context first if you haven't already

“We found them.” Natasha broke the silence. That certainly was not the response you had expected and you stared at her in disbelief for a second. “You found them?” You asked, frowning a little at her and Nat nodded. “They’ve actually,” She paused, drawing in a breath, knowing it would anger you. “They’ve actually been in recovery and have both been conscious for two weeks.” She stated, a nervous edge to her voice and your look of disbelief only became more intense.

“Two weeks? Two whole fucking weeks? Am I the last person to know?” You asked, raising your voice, though Natasha didn’t look too surprised. She’d even advised against not telling you, but Fury hadn’t listened and if the situation hadn’t contained two soldiers who were very important to you, she would have thought you might have torn the entire tower apart.

You were a force to be reckoned with at the best of times, but sensitive topics like your two partners you’d believed for decades to be long since deceased touched a nerve. You’d been told a month prior that they could be alive, but Fury had kept you in the dark, telling you they were still working out where they were and how to get to them and of course he’d done it in such a way that you had believed him.

Part of you couldn’t fault Fury though, he knew things had been tough for you in the recent months, especially with it recently having been the anniversary date for when you’d started dating your two soldiers all of those years ago and the pain of the loss had been kicked back up again like a suffocating blanket of dust.

With each passing year you always told yourself that the grief would get easier to live with, but as each significant date approached and passed you by, it never seemed to get easier to process. The lack of closure made it harder, there was no grave to visit, nothing to turn to but age stained photographs and old trinkets you had desperately held onto.

“I know, I know it’s bad.” Nat interrupted your thoughts and she sighed, eyes dropping to the sketchbook that she still held. “Do they know about me?” You asked, waiting for her to meet your eyes again as you shifted nervously in your step, so many questions flitting through your mind, fingertips gently twirling the old, now vintage promise ring that hugged your ring finger.

Natasha worried her lip between her teeth and you could tell that she was probably just as nervous as you were, maybe even a bit more and you knew there were more layers to this, knowing it was so unusual to see the usually well masked Natasha Romanoff openly allowing her nerves to show in front of you.

“Don’t sugar coat it.” You added and Nat nodded, your eyes softening when she finally looked up to meet your gaze. “Rogers remembers you, but he doesn’t know you’re alive, he thinks you’re long gone.” She explained and you sighed, heart aching a little as you took in the information. “And Bucky?” You asked. “Barnes is experiencing memory loss.” Was all Natasha said and your expression dropped, lips parting slightly, the instant prick of tears in your eyes and you felt your throat clench.

“He doesn’t remember me, does he?” You whispered, letting out a measured breath, trying to remain calm as you processed everything. Natasha didn’t say anything, she could see the pain just in the way you held yourself, arms hugging your middle, lip wobbling and short shaky breaths. She didn’t even have to look at you to know you were crying.

“Can I see them?” You asked, voice trembling. Your eyes were glued to your ring as you spoke, hot tears escaping and rolling down your cheeks. “That’s why I came, that’s why Fury sent me. Rogers has been asking about you but no one will tell him what happened to you and he’s starting to get restless.” Nat explained and you nodded in response, swallowing thickly as you thought about it.

“Give me-.” You paused, a pained sob interrupting you and you took as second to compose yourself, wiping at the tears on your cheeks before finally looking up to look at your closest friend. “Give me a minute, I um- I’d like to take some things with me.” You nodded and making the mental note to maybe change into something a bit less lazy than your modern lounge wear you’d become accustomed to.

Natasha waited as you got yourself ready, dressing yourself with a style your boys would hopefully remember before collecting a few trinkets and photographs to take with you. As you followed Nat through the tower, you couldn’t help but worry. What if they didn’t love you anymore? What if they didn’t feel the same way they had before? What if Bucky never remembered you? The list of what ifs plagued you and while Natasha attempted to engage you in simple conversation on the walk to the space they had been sharing together, you were lost in your own mind, consumed by the difficult thoughts and hard truths you might have to swallow.

“I’ll be right outside if you need me.” Nat gave you an encouraging smile, hand squeezing your shoulder gently and you were suddenly pulled from your thoughts with her action, giving her a perplexed look, but Nat understood. She understood this was overwhelming, that it was a complete one eighty from what you had originally believed. That you’d woken up thinking this was any regular day off with coffee and sketches, longing for a truth. But now that you finally had it and you were standing right in front of the door that would bring you back together again, you had absolutely no idea how to feel anymore and your emotions were such a mess from the emotional turmoil of hard hitting missions in the recent months that your heart just felt confused.

“I said I’d be right outside if you need me.” Nat repeated in a soft tone, this time knowing you’d heard her when she saw you nod. “They’re expecting a visitor, they just don’t know that it’s you.” She briefly explained and you drew in a breath, quickly throwing your arms around your friend and squeezing her tightly. Nat hugged you back, a soft smile on her lips as she rubbed your back gently before pulling away.

You turned away from her as she stepped back and resting your hand on the door handle, you paused, scared to even announce yourself. What if they didn’t want you back in their lives? Maybe it was better to let them rediscover the world without you. “Sweetie, come on.” Natasha sighed, gently pushing your hand away from the handle, seeing you struggling with your thoughts and emotions.

Nat opened the door for you, entering the living space first with you shyly keeping behind her. You could just about see both men, relaxing in different parts of the room, looking up from their activities to see the visitor that had entered. “Natasha, you’re back.” Steve smiled, putting down his newspaper and pen, most likely having done the crossword and you found yourself sifting through fond memories of him complaining that Bucky always messed up his crosswords.

“I brought a friend.” She announced, glancing behind her to see you practically shrink back even further and she gave you a look of sympathy. There was no easy way to do this and she knew it. Slowly you inched out from behind her, the anxiety building in you as you stepped out, meeting Steve’s eyes first and his smile and soft demeanor immediately dropped, becoming tense and his smile replaced with a stern look.

“Is this some kinda’ joke?” Steve spoke lowly, eyes fixed on you as he took stead strides towards you and Natasha immediately stepped in front of you. “What? You found someone that looked like my dead girlfriend? Her daughter maybe?” He frowned. “Steve, please just give me a second to-.” Nat attempted, but she was interrupted. “Dead girlfriend?” Bucky spoke up, voice deep and gravelly and you slowly stepped around Nat, your hand resting on her shoulder, silently telling her you could handle it.

“I know this is a lot for you right now.” You held your hands up in surrender and Steve’s expression softened slightly, hearing your voice for the first time in a long time and the anger and confusion stilled in his throat. “It’s a lot for me too.” You turned your attention to Bucky who didn’t look as tense as Steve, though he did look confused. “Can we sit and talk? And I’ll explain everything to you both, I’ll tell you everything.” You assured, Steve’s expression morphing as the different emotions and thoughts crossed his mind in a matter of seconds.

Steve was almost completely speechless. You couldn’t tell if he actually believed it was you, that you were very much alive and well, but he at least didn’t resist your attempt to explain. Nat took her leave at your words, assuring you she’d be outside if you needed her before ducking out and leaving you with the boys.

The tension between the three of you was uncomfortable at best and you felt their stares on you, analysing every inch of you. “You’re not- you’re not someone else?” Steve asked, his voice no longer held any anger, it was soft and gentle and you watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an old photograph, eyes studying you, scrutinizing every detail. “I promise, it’s me, just like you two are here now.” You nodded, glance looking between the two men and Bucky watched you carefully.

“I thought we lost you.” Steve whispered, shaking his head, tears welling up in his eyes and Bucky looked across at him, giving the blonde a look of sympathy. He knew he was meant to know who you were, he knew he was meant to feel the same as Steve, feel the same pain and relief he was showing, but Bucky looked at you and all he saw was a void in his memory.

“I thought I lost you too.” You teared up again, meeting Steve’s soft blue eyes. “I lived for decades thinking you were both dead.” It came out as a shaky whisper, lower lip trembling and Steve’s heart completely shattered, knowing you hadn’t been frozen like they had, that it hadn’t been seconds for you like it had been for them, that it had been roughly seventy years.

Steve took a tentative step closer to you, his shoulders dropping, making himself seem smaller as he approached you. He glanced back to see Bucky glued to the same spot and gave him a look of encouragement, but he was met with a look of bewilderment.

Holding out his hand, ready for you to reject him, you were surprised to see Steve accepting that you were there, that you were you. Gently, you placed your hand in his and Steve’s eyes trailed over the promise ring he and Bucky had given you all those years ago. He was amazed to see you still wearing it with pride and he was even more surprised to see no other evidence about your person of someone else in your life.

“Sweetheart.” The sweet name came so easily back to him and god did it feel good to be called that again and the word in Steve’s voice sent a warmth through you. The tears that blurred some of your vision spilled and rolled in tracks down your cheeks as Steve’s fingers closed around your hand. You had to restrain yourself from throwing yourself at him, unsure that he was ready for that right now, considering how bizarre the situation was.

“How are you here? How do you look just as goddamn gorgeous as you did back then?” Steve asked, lips parting with sheer disbelief as he studied your features, mesmerised by the lack of change. “Maybe it’s best to explain that another time.” You sighed, glancing around Steve to look at Bucky who appeared very uncomfortable, pained stared fixed on you.

“Bucky,” You paused, the brunette struggling to meet your eyes, his whole body, his expression told you he was distressed. “It’s okay if-.”

“I don’t remember you.” Bucky snapped, looking you in the eyes. “Buck.” Steve stood up straight, giving him a scolding look for his tone and the Sergeant looked between you both. “I know I’m supposed to but, fuck-.” He cut himself off, backing off from you both and your heart sank low.

Bucky shrunk away from you, and Steve was completely unsure how to even respond. “James.” You said his name so softly, so quietly that he might not have heard it had it not been for his enhanced hearing and Bucky stopped in his tracks, meeting your eyes with a pained look.

“Please, will you let me help you to remember?” You asked, slowly raising your hand to hold it out for him, giving Bucky plenty space to back out. He stared at you for a second, shaking his head a little, but you could see the conflict going through his mind, the memories you knew he wasn’t allowing back in.

“Do you remember this, perhaps?” You asked, trying something smaller as you gestured at your promise ring. Only a moment passed and flashes of realisation crossed Bucky’s features, small fragments of memory coming to mind. Snippets of your times together, visits to your favourite diner, days and nights out on Coney Island slowly coming back to him.

Bucky looked at you, his piercingly cold gaze finally softening and for the first time since you had walked through that door, Bucky saw you.

“Baby doll, my sweet girl.” The words were sweet, but it came out like an apology and you smiled softly at him, at your Bucky and nodded.

He remembered.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading 💕


End file.
